SIUE Gears Up for OVC Indoor Track and Field Championships

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – SIUE track and field will look to maximize the number of student-athletes who end up on the medal stand Friday and Saturday at the Ohio Valley Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships.

The championships will be held at Lantz Fieldhouse on the campus of Eastern Illinois.

"All of the training culminates at this moment," said Block. "The name of the game at the conference championships is execution."

SIUE's women have shown solid improvement all season, Block said several members of the women's team are set to peak this weekend.

"Nichyria Byrd has had a solid indoor season," said Block. "She is ready to have a big conference championship meet and take her performances to the next level."

She holds the second best long jump in the OVC heading into the meet at 19-2.75.

"These two are really capable of making some noise at the conference meet," said Block. "Megan is a senior. Lizzie is a junior, and those two together could do some big things at the conference meet. Whether they like to admit it or not, they like to feed off each other's energy."

SIUE also will be keeping an eye out for triple threat senior Erin Kennedy.

"She has been looking great this year, and she is looking to cap off her final indoor season strong by running in the 5,000, the 3,000 and the mile at the conference championships."

SIUE has turned in a fantastic men's indoor season with four records broken, including the 800; 3,000; 5,000 and the long jump.

"Julian Harvey is our standout guy at the moment," said Block. "We're excited to see how he does not only in the long jump but in the triple jump and the high jump."

The OVC Male Indoor Field Athlete of the Year for the second straight season is ranked No. 1 nationally in the long jump. His leap of 26 feet, 5.5 inches at the Tyson Invitational is the longest by an American this indoor season and No. 3 in the world.

Matt O'Connor, the record holder in the 800, leads the OVC field and will have to compete in preliminaries Friday working to advance to Saturday's finals.

Keith Meyer, the school record holder in both the 3,000 and 5,000, will compete in both events at the OVC Championships with the 5,000 on Friday and the 3,000 on Saturday.

"I am really excited to watch Keith run his final 5,000 meters indoors," Block said. "I think he has the confidence and the training. I'm excited to see what he can do at this meet."